Pandiya Nadu

My review: Pandiya Nadu

Vishal finally gets it right after having to struggle with his script selection and his never ending trysts with failure following initial success. Suseendaran also had a point or two to prove after his disastrous "Rajapattai" which was received with brickbats by both the critics and the viewers. Many started to doubt his abilities which he answered to an extent with his previous movie "Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer". With this movie "Pandiya Nadu" he has taken us all back his "Naan Mahan Alla" days. 

"Pandiya Nadu" is of the same mould as "Naan Mahan Alla", a family-centric revenge action thriller the type Susee seems to revel in. Though the movie just falls short of the former "Pandiya Nadu" is one of the better commercial pot-boiler to have graced the screens this year. Movie has one of the most graceful and resourceful action sequence where the protagonist take on loads of  henchmen all by himself yet the action choreography makes its wholly believable, a tremendous job indeed. 

When the movie enters into the revenge mode one expected the wise and fearful protagonist to bank more on his intelligence and kill the antagonist with the use of his brain more than brawn. Though it is not all muscles with ample use of brain the intelligence in the execution is found wanting especially when the character is etched out as someone who thinks before he acts. Nonetheless the revenge part is portrayed in the most realistic manner possible as how any person who is naive to the ways of violence would do it. 

Vishal is very good as the protagonist. He has ample scope to perform and has utilized the opportunity well. He has "ACT"ed well after a long time. Especially in the climax action sequence the manner in which he has shown the fear of death which at the same time makes him retaliate with what ever he chances to get is brilliantly conceived by the director and the action choreographer and excellently performed by Vishal.

 Laksmi Menon has nothing much to do except managing to match up with Vishal with her height. Soori is good, managing to evoke laughter from the audience with his witty one liners. Bharathi Raja is good as the protagonist's father. His is not a routine "aged father of the hero" role, but has more substance. Only issue is that he overdoes with his histrionics at certain points. Sharath Lohithashwa is a worthy addition to Tamil cinema. With his menacing eyes he can sure go places. 

D. Imam is in terrific form and his background score is brilliant. His score manages to build the tension in the climactic portions. "Othakada Machan" and "Yele Marudhu" are earthy numbers while "Fy fy fy" is a foot-tapping number. 

Madhie's cinematography is awesome. Some his frames are very well executed. Especially the bus-stand chase scene is shot brilliantly. Movie looks stylish and the frames are grand. 

Once again Suseendaran has proved that to make a stylish action movie one need not have your protagonist wear designer clothes and coolers walking in slow-motion and mouth punch dialogues in exotic locales. You can still make a stylish and glossy movie with a dark-skinned hero set in Madhurai and yet make it engaging and riveting. 

Bottomline: The Diwali winner

3.5/5